Power-pneumatic.



G. S. WILLIAMS.

POWER PNEUMATIC.

I a CCCC nu Patented June 7,1910.

6607296 J. Williams UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. WILLIAMS, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN PIANOPLAYER COMPANY, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

POWER-PNEUMATIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June '7, 1910.

Application filed. March 2, 1909. Serial No. 480,889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. VVILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Power-Pneumatics, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in power pneumatics, and hasparticular relation to the bellows type of such devices.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a pneumatic of thistype which is durable in construction, efficient in operation, readilymanufactured, and is rela tively inexpensive.

A further object is to provide a pneumatic of this type with an armserving as an actuator, said arm being mounted in a manner to preventexcessive wear on the hinge of the pneumatic, and at the same time toprovide for a difference in leverage to permit of a light pressuremechanism for actuating the pneumatic.

To these and other ends, the nature of which will be readily understoodas the in vention is hereinafter disclosed, said invention consists inthe improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters lndicate similarparts in each of the views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of apneumatic constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical view of the same, the pneumatic being shown asexpanded. Fig 8 is a similar view, the pneumatic being shown ascollapsed.

In constructing the pneumatic shown in the drawings, I make use of ablock 10 having a face 11 and a face 12 extending in planes atright-angles to each other, and a face 13 which extends obliquely to theplane of the face 11, thereby giving the block an approximatelywedge-shaped appearance.

14 designates the movable board of the bellows, and which is hingedlyconnected to the block 10 at the wider end of the latter, as shown inFig. 2.

The pneumatic is completed by placing a layer of flexible material 15around the sides and ends of the block and board, said material beingsubstantially co-extensive with the sides and ends of the pneumatic whenthe latter is in expanded position, this result being obtained insuitable manner, as by securing one end of the strip of the material tothe upper or wider end of the block 12 and the adjacent end of board14:, and then carrying the strip down one side across the bottom up theopposite side and again across the top, thereby providing single layerson the sides and bottom of the pneumatic and a double layer at the top.This construction not only provides for great durability, but isexceedingly easy to manufacture, while the fact that the material issecured to side faces which are relatively large, insures that openingswould not be provided at the point where the securing takes place. Whilethe covering is shown as extending over the ends of the boards, theboards may have the usual form of hinge connection over which the coverwould extend, the particular form of the hinge being immaterial theinvention relating more particularly to the form of the boards and ofthe actuating device, the purpose of the poi/(paring being to providethe pneumatic 17 designates an angular lever which is connected to theupper portion of the board 14, and having its free end formed to beconnected to the means to be actuated, such as an operating element inautomatic playing mechanism, the lever showing an opening 18 as one wayin which this result can be obtained. As will be understood, thisangular lever extends over the hinged ends of the pneumatic, and toprevent the free end of the lever from providing excessive wear on thehinge of the pneumatic, I place on the face 12 a plate 19 having anupturned edge 20 which serves as a fulcrum for the free end of thelever, thereby placing the weight of the means to be actuated on theboard of extended end-width and thereby distributing it throughout theentire length of the pneumatic instead of on the hinged connection.

The block 10 is provided with an opening 21' which forms the connectionbetween the interior of the pneumatic and the exhaust mechanism.

The pneumatic herein shown is intended to be positioned with itsdirection of length extending vertically, being secured to a duct board(where it is employed as a playing pneumatic in an automatic musicalinstrument), the free end of the lever 17 being of less length than thelength of the board 1 1 thereby including said board 14 as one of thearms of the angular lever, making said arms of unequal length andpermitting of a much more eflicient operation of the pneumatic. And bymaking a substantially unitary structure of operating lever and actuator(the lever 17 and board 14-) a positive actuating means is providedwhich is exceedingly sensitive to the various conditions arising in theplaying of selections within an automatic mechanical instrument.

As heretofore pointed out, the pneumatic herein disclosed is adapted tobe secured to a duct-board with the opening 21 in communication with aparticular duct of the duct-board, the pneumatic having its direction oflength extending vertically. In connection with this form of mounting ofthe pneumatic, there is a particular advantage resulting from theprovision of the thickened board, the thickened end of the board beinglocated at the top, the advantage consisting in the fact that there isthereby provided a portion which serves to space the outer board fromthe duct board, and permitting of the use of an angular arm 17 ofconsiderable length, the free end of said arm being located above theduct-board, and thereby providing an exceedingly sensitive pneumaticstructure without the necessity of providing an extended space withinwhich the pneumatic may operate.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, is

1. A pneumatic comprising two boards hingedly connected at one end, saidboards having a fold-forming covering, and an angular fulcrumed actuatorsupported by the hinged ends of each of said boards.

2. A pneumatic comprising two boards hingedly connected at one end, saidboards having a fold-forming covering, and an angular fulcrumed actuatorcarried by the hinged end of one of said boards and sup ported by theother board.

3. A pneumatic comprising two boards hingedly connected at one end, saidboards having a fold-forming covering, an angular actuator carried bythe hinged end of one of said boards, and a fulcrum carried by the otherof said boards.

4. A pneumatic comprising two boards hingedly connected at one end, saidboards having a fold-forming covering, an angular actuator carried bythe hinged end of one of said boards, and a fulcrum carried by the otherof said boards, said fulcrum consisting of a plate having an upturnededge with which said actuator contacts.

5. A pneumatic comprising two boards, one of said boards having its endsof unequal thickness to provide a substantially wedgeshaped board, saidboards having a foldforming covering and being hingedly connected at thethicker end of said wedgeshaped board, and an actuator secured to thehinged end of one of said boards and overhanging and being supported bythe other of said boards.

6. A pneumatic comprising two boards,

one of said boards having its ends of unequal thickness to provide asubstantially wedgeshaped board, said boards having a fold formingcovering and being hingedly connected at the thicker end of saidwedgeshaped board, and an actuator secured to the hinged end of one ofsaid boards and overhanging and being supported by the other of saidboards, said actuator being in the form of an angular lever having onearm secured to its board, the free end of the lever overhanging theother board.

7. A pneumatic comprising two boards, one of said boards having its endsof unequal thickness to provide a substantially wedgeshaped board, saidboards having a foldforming covering and being hingedly con nected atthe thicker end of said wedgeshaped board, and an actuator secured tothe hinged end of one of said boards and overhanging and beingsupported-by the other of said boards, said actuator being in the formof an angular lever having one arm secured to its board, the free end ofthe lever overhanging and projecting beyond the inner face of the otherboard.

8. A pneumatic comprising two boards, one of said boards having its endsof unequal thickness to provide a substantially wedgeshaped board, saidboards having a foldforming covering and being hingedly connected at thethicker end of said wedgeshaped board, and.an actuator secured to thehinged end of one of said boards and overhanging and being supported bythe other of said boards, said actuator being in the form of an angularlever having one arm secured to its board, the free end of the leveroverhanging the other board, the free arm of said actuator being of lesslength than the combined length of the other arm and its board.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GEORGE S. lVILLIAMS. lVitnesses J. GRANVILLE Mavens, T. L. VAUGHAN.

